BJP promises to support Govt at Copenhagen summit

BJP on Thursday assured the Lok Sabha that it would fully back the government at the forthcoming Copenhagen summit provided it did not buckle under pressure of the developed world on carbon emissions and other climate change issues.

BJP on Thursday assured the Lok Sabha that it would fully back the government at the forthcoming Copenhagen summit provided it did not buckle under pressure of the developed world on carbon emissions and other climate change issues.

Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, who initiated the discussion in the Lok Sabha on impact of climate change, used a phrase reportedly used by Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh some months back to drive home his point.

"You (Ramesh) had reportedly said 'Yankees go back and take us with you'. Yankees can go back or anywhere they wish but you should not go with them. You are kindly requested to stay with us," Joshi told Ramesh, hinting that the minister should not side with the developed world under pressure and fight for the Indian cause at the Copenhagen summit.

Joshi, who is accompanying the minister and other MPs in the delegation, which will represent India at the Copenhagen summit later this month, said he would be happy if the Prime Minister led the Indian delegation.

The BJP leader accused the Western countries of telling developing nations, like India, to keep planting trees and producing more carbon and "we will give you money for this".

"You become the market while we keep producing. Hamare vikas ke saath, aap ka vinaash hota rahe (while we keep developing, you keep perishing)," he said about the attitude of the Western countries.